Staffing the Startup

In the beginning, having a few people supporting your idea of starting your business can be vital.

While many entrepreneurs we’ve worked with initially thought they needed to hire full-time staff, many of those who succeeded in launching have shared that most of the time they hired on a part-time basis or hire specific people for specific projects.

There are many people looking for side gigs, or part time work that would love to help you get started.

The concept here is quite simple — add people based on the skill sets you need.

Another insight we’ve gained from entrepreneurs is that you will not find one person that will do all the things you need done. You may have to find multiple people doing one of the things that you need done.

For example, if you need help with inventory, sales, and bookkeeping, you may not find anyone that will enjoy or be willing to do all three. You may, however, find one person that is great at sales, another who enjoys the tasks of inventory and bookkeeping. And they may have insights about the most effective way to do the tasks assigned. You may have to create two or three part-time positions.

BEFORE YOU GO

We see our blogs as opportunities for dialogue. Please share your thoughts as comments.

Think about:

1. How can you grow in baby steps?

2. How can you hire individuals for the specific things you need?

3. What other insights have you had in staffing while launching your business?

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Faris Alami is Founder and CEO of International Strategic Management, Inc. (ISM). He works internationally, presenting Exploring Entrepreneurship Workshops and other entrepreneurial ecosystem — related ventures.